


we can write this story on our own right here

by bulletproofkisses (zarriesquad)



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Beginnings of a relationship, But also, Established Relationship, Fluff, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, i guess lol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-02
Updated: 2017-07-02
Packaged: 2018-11-22 10:30:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,767
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11378364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zarriesquad/pseuds/bulletproofkisses
Summary: Nico and Nolan, avid Facetimers.





	we can write this story on our own right here

**Author's Note:**

> i'm sorry? idk what i'm doing with this but i really wanted to give a go at writing something involving Facetime and the subtle but important role it plays in LDRs even though i would never ever get in one myself. this is unbeta-ed because i'm stubborn.
> 
> title is from tomorrow by james hersey. mainly for its rhythm and the way the song ebbs and flows, not so much the overall meaning of it.

**i.**

So.

 

Nolan kissed Nico at the draft combine. 

It wasn’t something that happened out of the blue or something that surprised either of them, really. Because it has honestly felt like ever since they met, they’ve just been snowballing into whatever _this_ is between them.

 

The kiss was sweet and soft and sincere.

 

Nico was leaning against a wall in one of the rink’s numerous hallways, shyly smiling and looking around. Nolan distinctively cocked his head to the side and Nico asked, showing off dimples as deep as craters,  “what?” and Nolan just. Nolan just bridged the gap in between them and gently used his index finger to tilt Nico’s face up, sweetly ran his thumb back and forth the corner of Nico’s mouth and kissed him.

 

The kiss was short.

 

Well, it was supposed to be.

But when Nolan made to pull away, Nico’s hand went to cup the back of his head to deepen it. Nolan moved his hands to lean on the wall- successfully boxing Nico in with his arms. They made out for a bit more but ultimately, their hyper awareness of where they were at and what they were doing settled in.

They pulled away, smiled at each other, and Nico blurted, “ _scheisse_.”

“Yeah, that was… uh… neat.” Nolan cleared his throat, somehow equal parts awkward and fond.

They both burst out laughing and that was that. Well, again, kind of.

Cause they’re apparently _a thing_ now. So much so that it’s got Nolan currently setting up an alarm for 7 in the morning _while on a break from training_ to wake up early and answer Nico’s Facetime call because Nico _absolutely needs_ to show him something.

Nico looked super thrilled so Nolan kept the complaining to a minimum.

Nico’s currently home in Switzerland- which means he’s 7 hours ahead of Nolan who, after visiting the Flyers and the Devils’ medical staff, is back home in Winnipeg.

 

 

\--

 

 

A couple of nights before, because Nico still hadn’t fully adjusted to the time change meant he couldn’t sleep so he Facetimed Nolan at 6 in the morning, Switzerland time. Nolan answered half-naked- toothbrush in one hand- in the process of getting ready for bed because it was close to midnight on his side of the world.

“Hey Hisch, what’s up?” Nolan asks through the toothbrush he’s clamping in his mouth, trying to precariously balance the phone on his sink. It’s not the best angle but it’ll do.

“I can’t sleeeeeep,” Nico complains. “and the sun’s already up. Need your voice to bore me.”

Nolan splutters and spits out the toothpaste suds, “Wowwwwwww, okay.”

“I’m joking, Patty.” Nico says, grinning at Nolan’s pretend offended face. “How was, um, the rest of your trip?”

“Yeah, it was good. Nothing special, really. Got poked here and there.” Nolan’s taken his phone and is now making himself comfortable on his bed. “Think my dad was more nervous about it than I was.”

The conversation kept flowing from there. They asked one another how their hometowns are doing, how their families are and how many people they’ve gained as new uncles and aunts which is almost a standard thing to acquire when you’ve hit some sort of fame. Nolan tells a random story about hunting because he always has a random story about hunting. Nico shows Nolan the stash of Swiss chocolate by his bed that Nolan makes a face at- the face that always sends Nico into a laughing fit.

 

(So when Nolan says they did not talk about the draft once, he truly means it.)

 

They both notice, at the same time, that their clocks have hit 9AM and 1AM. They know they should stop and get some much needed sleep but they’re both suddenly filled with energy and they haven’t ran out of things to talk about yet. Nico’s taught Nolan a bunch of Swiss German swear words now, never failing to mock his pronunciation each time

“Patty, it’s not even that hard!” Nico remarks when Nolan mispronounces _chasch mi mal_ for the upteenth time.

“Dude,” Nolan jokingly slams his palm down on the covers he is currently under. “Easy for you to say!”

Nico mischievously smiles and says, “no Swiss junior team will ever let you make their team if you can’t master _chasch mi mal_! It’s a classic chirp.”

“Oh yeah?” Nolan says, eyebrows raising and recognising Nico’s teasing. Nico nods, barely hiding his massive grin.

The conversation gently settles into a natural lull. It’s a good quiet. They have a lot of good quiets between the two of them which is probably why even though Nolan doesn’t want to break the delicate bubble they’re in, he still says “besides,” He clears his throat. “Switzerland being a wonderful place isn’t the main reason why I said I wanted to play junior there.”

Nico, hair sprawled all over his pillow, moves his head to better see his phone screen before asking, “then what is?”

“Cause maybe if I played over there, I’d have met you earlier.” Nolan says sweetly but apprehensively waiting on how Nico would react.

Nico flashes his dimples then immediately proceeds to bury his face in his pillow. “ _God,_ Nolan."

Nico can’t believe this guy. He can’t believe _himself_ . It feels like they’re moving quite fast but at the same time, it feels like they’re going at the exact perfect pace. They know so much yet also so little about one another which makes him so excited. _Almost_ as excited as getting drafted.

 

Almost.

 

It’s an hour later and they’ve continued talking but Nico can see that Nolan’s just about to fall asleep cause all he’s getting back are hums and his view of Nolan on his phone has now gone wonky, most probably due to Nolan’s hand slowly going limp.

He stays on the call, which he now thinks is kinda creepy, to watch Nolan sleep. Observe his face at ease, steady breathing, hair somehow looking like he intended it to fall that way, a light blush on his cheeks, a shadow of a smile…. _Well shit. This is happening._

Nico did not sign up for this. Though, he’s not even sure he would’ve signed up for this even if the Mooseheads wrote it into a special clause in his contract. _Clause 11, section C: The contracted party will develop and harbour strong feelings for the longtime projected First Overall Pick, Nolan Patrick of the Brandon Wheat Kings of the Western Hockey League…._ Or however clauses go anyway _._

It is… It can wait. That's what he's always thought. Nico’s in a new country and in a new league and he wasn’t even projected to go this high a couple of months ago but the point is, Nico did not expect this. Any of this. Nor did Nolan, probably. But Nico’s here and if he’s being really honest, he feels _happy_ and it’s great and he’s barely even thinking about anything else.

Except maybe subtracting 7 hours from his time so he’ll know if it’s a decent hour to be Facetime-ing Nolan.

 

 

\--

 

 

Anyway. Here they are, 6AM in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The sun is barely up and so is Nolan.

“Morning, _schatz_.” Nico greets.

From what Nolan can see through his eyes that he’s only slightly opened, Nico is driving, he’s set his phone on the dashboard (which, surely that’s not legal or safe, right?) and is being far too cheery for an early morning but that’s probably because it’s currently 1PM in Switzerland.

Nolan, on the other hand, hums his greeting while vigorously rubbing his palm over his right eye. “Hang on. I need-”

“Yeah, go get coffee.” Nico says paired with a fond eye roll.

Nolan walks downstairs, brings his phone with him. From the way Nolan is holding it, the angle does not do anything good for him at all. His face is puffy and his hair is all over the place. Plus, Nico’s basically just looking up his nose so he jokingly says, “this angle suits you so much, babe. No wonder I have a crush on you.”

“Ha ha, yeah you do,” Nolan raspily teases back which has Nico feeling a way but he’s not going to focus on that right now. “I never wake up this early for anyone so you better have a massive crush on me.”

Nico has the sudden urge to kiss Nolan’s forehead, kiss his shoulder, kiss his face, kiss just about anywhere to properly greet him a good morning.

“You’re lucky you’re you,” Nolan continues.

Nico’s smile turns a bit sinister and teasing, “hear that, Patty?”

“Don’t you dare!”

Nico then proceeds to make a whip cracking sound that he most probably learned from his teammates. Nolan sheepishly smiles, “shut up.”

 

Nico’s focusing on the road, only diverting his eyes here and again to his phone to check what level of awake Nolan is at. It looks like Nolan’s put the phone down on the counter and is quietly sipping his coffee and making some eggs (sunny side up, always) for breakfast. After a few more bites, Nolan finally feels awake enough to engage with Nico so he moves closer to the phone. Nico notices and says, “you good now?”

“Yep. I think so,” Nolan answers. “Morning, babe. Are you gonna tell me where you’re going?”

“Perfect timing... cause I just got here,” Nico answers while maneuvering the car to park. Nolan can hear the distinct sound of a hand brake being pulled into place and Nico says, “I have a signing thing here in half an hour but I made sure I have time to show you around.”

“Yeah, where?”

“Nolan Patrick, meet my childhood rink.” Nico boisterously says, as he flips the camera to show Nolan the premises.

“Sweeeeeeet!” Nolan matches his excitement with his reply, putting his coffee down to look at his phone better. “That’s so cool, Nico.”

Nico’s filming everything from the outside facade to the inside structure. Pointing things out to Nolan as he goes. It’s your typical town rink with banners and uncomfortable seats but the difference is in how Nico sounds. He sounds like a giddy child showing Nolan where he learned how to skate and where he grew up.

“Yeah, I’ve spent a lot of hours in this rink. Got my first hatty here. Worked on football and hockey.” Nico’s narrating all this while looking at Nolan’s reaction on the small square of his phone’s screen. “Good times, good times.”

He then flips the camera and they’re both sweetly smiling at one another. Nico then softly says, “and if you played junior here, we would have met at this rink.”

“That’s a nice thought, eh?” Nolan replies, just as gentle.

 

 

**ii.**

Hockey season is getting closer and closer. September is here and that means training camp. The last time Nolan saw Nico was right before he went home to Switzerland after his extensive and kind of exhausting tour around New Jersey. They met up in New York for a day and a half- definitely not enough but they’ll take it.

When they say the NHL is a different kind of beast, that definitely does extend to all its aspects. Training camp being one of them but Nolan’s got it over with. He skated and lifted and biked and squatted and jumped and shot the puck and finished his checks and basically did all he could so he could make the team. It was up to the Flyers now. Nolan’s not going to sit and stress out over it. He probably would have. _Before Nico,_ he most probably would have but hockey’s not his whole life anymore. He doesn’t want it to be his whole life.

This is why, despite the fact that his legs feel like they each weigh a ton, he gathers his belongings, tells his roommate a half-assed excuse for needing to leave earlier than intended and hops on a train to New Jersey.

(The plan was actually to meet in NYC again and hang out for a few days before going home for the last time in a while. But Nolan figures he’s probably going to be doing this same journey as much as he can during the season so might as well get a jump start, right?)

Nolan has time to kill so he watches Game of Thrones and live-texts Nico, who’s waiting for him to catch up to the episode he’s at.

 

**Nolan**

I hate this show

Oh god wait

The dogs are going to get at him arent they

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Marry me Sansa

 

Nolan gets a Snapchat notification from Nico and opens it to Nico lying down on his bed, forearm covering his eyes captioned: “dead tired” and usually, Nolan would reply with a photo of himself but he can’t right now or it’ll give him away so he just swipes and replies with, “same but just one more sleep, baby.” Nico then replies with a video of himself fist pumping. He replies with several cry laughing emojis.

 

**Nico**

Wanna see your face

Send a selfie

 

**Nolan**

I just got out of the shower

 

**Nico**

So?

That’s the best time, as you say.

 

 

\--

 

 

Nolan’s finally in Jersey and finally at the hotel Nico is staying at with some of the other rookies. He pulls his hat down his face some more as he moves about the lobby so no one will recognise him. He gets in the elevators, presses the button for Nico’s floor and tries not to vibrate out of his skin from anticipation. As he’s walking down the hallway to get to the door, he takes his phone out of his pocket and texts Nico.

 

**Nolan**

Facetime?

 

**Nico**

Yeah one sec

 

Nolan waits a bit and calls him right outside the room (which he nonchalantly asked the number of last night, Nico didn’t suspect anything at all. Take that, Tanner “you’re absolutely not chill, patty” Kaspick.) Nico picks up on the third ring.

“Hi!” Okay so Nolan is currently being the opposite of chill. It’s fine, Tanner will never know anyway.

“ _Schatz_ ,” Nico says as he tucks a strand of hair behind his ear. “Hotel food is not good.”

“It never is, Hisch. Should know this by now.” Nolan answers. “Anyway, hey, look at where I’m at,” and moves his phone to show himself smiling in front of a door marked 1842.

Nico squints. One second. Two seconds. “Uhhhh,”

Nolan is now chuckling at Nico’s frowning face.

“Wait, what the fu-” and with that, Nico’s scrambling to open the door.

Nolan presses the button to end the call while the door swings, “hi, oh my god, hi?!” Nico says, grinning widely.

“Hi yourself.” Nolan replies.

Nico shakes his head, all fond, then grabs Nolan’s hand to pull him inside his room. He intertwines their fingers because suddenly that’s all he wants to do right this moment. Not kiss nor hug but just hold Nolan’s hand.

Nolan doesn’t back away from having all the attention in the room because he’s used to it but having all of Nico’s concentrated on him is.. A Lot. He feels his blush has taken over his face (like always). “I’m here,” he says, stating the obvious.

“You are! And I have a lot of questions but I don’t want to ask them right now.” Nico’s eyes are bright and blissful and Nolan is slowly feeling some of his exhaustion settle in but choosing to get on a train over getting sleep is _so worth it._

They’re currently on the bed, heavily making out. Nolan has one hand in Nico’s hair, lazily combing his fingers through it while the other is sprawled on Nico’s back, under his shirt. He keeps pushing the shirt upwards until Nico gets the hint and takes it off. Smiling into the kiss, Nolan also keeps gently nibbling on Nico’s lower lip because it always pulls out some of the sweetest sounds from the back of Nico’s throat.

From here, he presses a kiss to the side of Nico’s mouth then moves to his cheek then to his neck, whispering “I missed you” over and over again like he’s scattering it on and around Nico’s body so the sentiment sticks. Nico basking in it and humming his reply. Nolan is kissing Nico’s collarbone when he hears Nico yawn.

“Are you serious?” He deadpans, face looking unimpressed. He kisses Nico’s bare shoulder and groans.

“I’m sorry, baby,” Nico says while kissing the side of Nolan’s head. “I’m so tired, how did you even manage to come here?”

“Nooooo,” Nolan is tired too but he’s sporting a semi and would have wanted that kind of maybe taken care of by his boyfriend who he hasn’t seen in a while. “You owe me so much, Hisch.”

“I’ll wake you up.”

“Okay.”

“I’ll wake you up.” Nico says, more deliberately because the implication still hasn’t landed on Nolan. Nico mixes in a smirk and raises his eyebrows.

“Ohhhhhhh,” Nolan is looking smug now, cheeks still flushed.  “Yeah?”

Nico nods.

“You promise?” Nolan asks while inching closer to kiss Nico’s grinning face. They both smile into the kiss, “yes, promise.”

They both get ready for bed. Nolan gets first shower while Nico tries to tidy up which lasts about 15 seconds before he gives up and watches TV to pass the time. They brush their teeth together while making faces at one another in the mirror.

Nolan plants a soft kiss on Nico’s forehead and one on each closed eye. He has done this every night since that first one they spent together after Nolan kissed him in Buffalo. Nico has asked about it but Nolan just smiles and shrugs, “mhmm, it’s just something I like doing to you” which Nico doesn’t buy but they have time. He’ll know sooner or later.

Nolan is the little spoon tonight because Nico owes him but also because Nico loves falling asleep while he’s idly tracing circles around the rogue and isolated ship tattoo on Nolan’s arm. Maybe he’s also feeling particularly clingy tonight and wants to sleep with his arms around his boyfriend. Sue him.

Nolan has his set ways of saying good night and Nico has his, too. He playfully bites the shell of Nolan’s ear before kissing his shoulder once and the back of his neck three times.

“Guet nacht, Nolan.”

“Good night, Nico.”

 

 

**iii.**

Just as Nico went from guy I’m battling for the number one spot to guy I’m friends with to guy I _maybe_ have feelings for to guy I _definitely_ have feelings for because I just kissed him in this hallway to _boyfriend_ (which, shit. That’s simultaneously terrifying and fucking fantastic), that’s how Nico’s name changes on Nolan Patrick’s phone.

He went from Nico Hischier (Formal. Prompt. Almost deliberate indifference) then to Nico then to Hischybabe (this one made Nico laugh out loud) and then finally, Nicky *devil emoji* *red heart emoji*.

(Nolan is listed as Nolie *orange fruit emoji* on Nico’s phone after an unfortunate Facetime call involving one of Nolan’s sisters.)

Today is the 4th of October and today is Nolan’s first game as a Philadelphia Flyer.

They’re in San Jose and he’s groggy, slowly shaking off his pre-game nap because of his phone’s incessant ringing. He grabs it from the bedside table and sees that Nico is trying to Facetime him. He picks up and pretends to be asleep.

“Hey, sleepyhead,” Nico greets. “I know you’re grumpy but you told me to wake you up.”

“I knowwwww,” Nolan whines, stretching his limbs and scrunching up his face in the process.

Nico chuckles, “you’re cute.”

Nolan smiles at him, “whatcha doing?”

“Talked to my mom. Ate a bit. Was just chilling until I had to call you.” Nico answers. “Oh, and I made plans with Mikey to watch your game.”

“It’s going to be late over there though,” Nolan says, moving around his hotel room to start getting ready for the game.

“Hm. We’ll be fine,” Nico shrugs. “How’re you feeling?”

“Yeah good, not that nervous.” Nolan’s reply is muffled because he’s wiping his face with a towel.

“I told Timo to take it easy on you,” Nico chides, fixing a particularly hard-headed strand of his hair and forcing it to settle behind his ear.

Nolan makes an incredulous face and says, “pfffft, I can take Timo Meier, buddy” as Nico chuckles.

He goes through the motions of his pre-game routine while talking to Nico about… whatever, really. Talking to Nico just helps his brain kind of mellow out enough that he can manipulate it and slowly lock it into that place he wants it to be at before a game.

Nico has this habit of fixing his hair a lot, especially when he’s mindlessly talking to Nolan. They’re in the middle of talking about Mikey and Taylor Hall’s experience of trying the “Nico sandwich” and he keeps messing about with his hair and Nolan’s awash with fondness and he can’t help the smile that shows up on his face which cuts Nico off and makes him tilt his head and say, “what?"

Nolan hesitates and starts with, “I…”

Nico presses on, “what? It’s something sweet, isn’t it?” and _god,_ Nico knows him well.

“I just can’t wait to do that for you, is all.”

And Nico beams. The Nolan that Nico loves is when he’s sweet and soft and is not one bit apologetic about it. It’s the Nolan that’s consistent- in person, over text, during Facetime calls, in front of his parents and sisters, in front of Nico’s family. Nolan may have realised his feelings for Nico before Nico did but they’re both now just as in **_this_** as each other. Nico is invested and he-

 

“I love you.”

 

He says it simply because it’s true and he knows that this fact will only get validated more and more, day in and day out.

Nolan has stopped fixing his tie and has hastily grabbed his phone from the table and says, “What. Yes. Wait no, that wasn’t a question but yes, I love you too.” He sincerely says, looking at his phone’s screen. “I love you too,” he repeats.

“We can do this, right?” Nico asks. And like. ‘This’ could be a whole myriad of things- this first game, their rookie seasons, the distance, their new relationship, and so on. So many things. But Nolan is sure and Nico is sure.

“Yeah, I really think so.”

 

Yeah.

They can do this.

 

They’re 1 and 2. Philly to Jersey, they have it easy. They’ve got this. Nico or Nolan? Nico **and** Nolan.

 

Let’s go.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading! i really really really appreciate it.
> 
> lol so some lines from this fic may be familiar to some since i’ve talked about nico/nolan with a bunch of friends on twitter.
> 
> if you do speak/know Swiss German and would like to call me out on the bogus translations in this fic, pls feel free. i researched the words at 3 in the morning.
> 
> Scheisse - shit  
> Chasch mi mal - bite me  
> Schatz - little treasure


End file.
